Archive of ‘Eat & Drink’ category

It’s known that I love my coffee. I’ll take it almost any way you want to serve it up, in a martini, a coffee smoothie, heck I’ve considered an IV (kidding, not kidding). When the weather warms up I turn to iced coffee recipes to keep me going throughout the day. So when I learned about International Delight’s new Iced Coffees I got excited. Good iced coffee that is simple to serve? I’m in!

Over the past six months, I’ve been collaborating with Pepperidge Farm and sharing my original recipes using Puff Pastry. Along the way, my readers were asked to submit ideas for recipes they would like to create using puff pastry and just a few weeks ago one reader (Sharon from Cupcakes and Cutlery!) got the news she would be heading with me to the Pepperidge Farms Innovation Center to compete in our own version of a Top Chef inspired cooking challenge.

We arrived with several other bloggers and guests for a day of inspiration, taste testing and recipe development! Above is Sharon and I in the Pepperidge Farm test kitchen. It was SO cool!

With aprons tied, we worked together to create two dishes that would be presented to the judges. Our mission was to create two recipes each inspired by a new food trend –Brazilian influence and using Greek yogurt in a savory dish. Above were our two dishes.

As the weather starts to warm up, you’ll want this refreshing drink in your arsenal. Made with real fruit juice, this beverage is healthy and delicious – a winner in my book! I recently served this recipe at a family dinner party and it was a hit with both the adults and children. Make one at a time, or in a pitcher for easy refills. You can also squeeze all the juice ahead of time which will make serving these a breeze.

Entertaining guests? A crudite platter is always a great choice when preparing light appetizers, especially this time of year! Our own garden is beginning to really take off and one of our favorite things to do is serve up what we’ve grown. Until then, we enjoy heading to the local farmers’ market and picking up veggies. Select your favorite veggies and feel free to be creative! One idea is to make a serving bowl from an artichoke — it makes for great dip presentation.

To make you simply use a knife to cut the center out of the artichoke. Once you’ve removed most of the leaves, use a metal spoon to hallow out the center before filling with your favorite dip or hummus.

Looking to try new margarita recipes? Look no further because I’m sharing four creative recipes today. After I recently made this jalapeno lemon martini, a friend of mine suggested I try to make a jalapeno margarita … and so the story goes.

I decided to get creative with a cast of ingredients of which included: jalapenos, cilantro, honey tangerines, pomegranates, Meyer lemons, basil and ginger. Don’t worry — they didn’t all end up in the same drink.

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meet tori

Thoughtfully Simple is a place to find inspiration for your everyday. We're shaking up cocktails, making pretty projects, and even tapping into our professional creativity. Join in! Read more about Tori ...